DVD:Where Are They Now?, The Mind’s Eye, Perdu En Paris, Paroxetine 20mg, A Sale Of Two Souls, GPS Culture / The Music That Died Alone, In Darkest Dreams (including After Phaedra): Interviews, Photo Gallery, End Credits (In Full), End Credits (Video)

CD:Where Are They Now? (20:38), The Mind’s Eye (8:15), Perdu En Paris (10:47), Paroxetine 20mg (7:15), A Sale Of Two Souls (7:51), GPS Culture, The Music That Died Alone (7:51)

John O'Boyle's Review

Stockport December 2010; the shutters rise, five silhouetted musicians enter the studio, the shutters close like something out of the X Files...

Andy Tillison, Jonathan Barrett, Luke Machin and Tony Latham and honorary member Theo Travis stepped into the Great Image Studio to record seven stunning Tangent compositions. The band chose to keep the styling simplistic, calling to mind the heady days of The Old Grey Whistle Test, when bands had to let the music do the talking. No hiding behind elaborate stage sets or costly gimmickry, just good old craftsmanship, laying bare the soul and integrity of the music.

The histrionics of the recording is not new in concept, fans funding recordings, something several bands have and still subscribe to, an impressive if yet brave and daring step for artists and fans alike. This venture is a glimpse at what The Tangent are all about, their provenance, an ability to musical entertain, plying their musical notations, stunning audiences with the intelligent dexterity and Going Off On Two does exactly that. It may have been a risk, but it has more than paid off with The Tangent setting the standard for this presentation.

This is a two disk set, one DVD and one CD. The CD contains only six of the seven songs featured on the DVD due to time constraints, with the sound quality as you would expect being impeccable.

The picture quality is second to none, the director has smartly kept the visual effects to a minimum, but in turn, when they are used, they are used to heighten the emotion of the piece, and not just for the sake of it, which more importantly allows the viewer to focus at what is at hand, the music, music that is full of expression and emotion.

The usual suspects are all here too, the inimitable interviews with each member, with Andy being the question master. What really interested me though during these interviews was the ease at which the guys spoke, discussing their setup’s, never being dull or pretentious and in fact both Jonathan and Tony are quite the cards that will put big smiles on your face. When it’s Andy’s turn, he talks us through his keyboard set up, again putting you at ease, reassuring us that it’s all about the music. I did love his statement about analogue and digital technology though, which for me really stole the interview section.

The photo gallery as ever offers some pictures which is complemented by music from FOG. Last but by no means the least, there are two versions of the end credits; both are captivating for different reasons. In full offers another set of photo’s, but by far the best of the two is Video with its humorous piece right at the end seeing the band silhouetted, and lets just say, uniquely dancing, not that I’m any real judge of that, all being ended by a fabulous picture of Izzy Watson, someone whom has won the hearts of The Tangent.

The music side of the show is as ever intriguing, all the songs presented are well known identities in their own rights; they are challenging, intelligent, complex, thought provoking but more importantly entertaining and cover their back catalogue well.

The music has an insatiable intensity that you just don’t want to come to an end; such is the power of the display here, this isn’t just five guys playing, this is soul baring of the highest order, the perfect embodiment of what The Tangent is all about, a belief, a way of life. You can’t but be impressed watching these guys, their finely tuned symbiotic dalliances, delving into the psyche of each others minds, their interaction just beggars belief, musicians that are in the zone.

We are offered a new song Mind’s Eye which is very interesting, especially when you watch the dynamics of Luke Machin duelling with Andy Tillison. You can hear how Luke has stamped his signature and authority over the track and to be honest, if this is the sound of things to come, then COMM as an album is going to sound fantastic. I also loved the After Phaedra, the homage to Tangerine Dream that has been nicely positioned inside the track In Darkest Dreams.

It isn’t often that fans get to see bands playing in such intimate detail, allowing you to voyeuristically watch creations evolve, each note musically being teased from the instruments; The Tangent have scored the winning goal with how they have done this.

This is and DVD/CD set that I can’t recommend highly enough. You are seriously going to be impressed with what has been presented here.

Brian Watson's Review

There can’t be many readers of this site who aren’t familiar with The Tangent, so a new release is a pretty special event. This year, we’ve got two, with new album COMM slated for a September release. It’s the live DVD disc that is the main draw here – the audio CD is a bonus - as for many fans, especially overseas this is their first opportunity to see The Tangent in a live environment. I’ve been fortunate enough to see this line-up a number of times over the last year or so, including a memorable gig in August last year on my birthday, and in February we crammed the band, together with about 25 fans, into the winter garden at my home in Bradford for a truly magical and memorable evening, reviewed by DPRP’s Jonno here.

The Tangent 2011 is a somewhat different band, sans Beardfish, than the one I saw at Summer’s End in 2008, and a different one again to the one I saw at that first ever gig in Chippenham in 2002, written about in the sleeve notes of The Tangent’s first live DVD offering, Going Off On One. But, despite all the personnel changes there has been one constant - the creative inspiration behind the band - Andy Tillison. And a number of reviewers have cited this line-up as the best yet;

Not only did The Tangent take up the gauntlet that Unitopia had left on the stage, they chewed it up, spat it out and rubbed it into the dirt. I am blown away. I’m writing this two days after the show and I’m still reeling. I reckon that’s amongst the best three hours I’ve spent at a gig any time in the last 30 years.(John Bradshaw)

Going Off On Two is a true labour of love – it’s been financed entirely by fans from as far afield as Bradford, Costa Rica, Japan, Brazil, India, South Africa, Germany, France, Canada, Mexico, USA, Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine, Netherlands and over 40 other countries. Much as with A Place On The Shelf, without the fans buying this, the band won’t be able to make it. An unpleasant economic truth, perhaps, but that’s how it is. Indeed some ‘fans’ actually bought the disc, and then proceeded to put it up on bit torrent sites. Which is, if you think about it, akin to sewing up the mouth that fellates you. Although when I first typed that it read ‘the moth that fellates you’. Which is disturbing. Since surely the delicate, sensual flapping of the wings would achieve the same effect?

But I digress.

Latest album Down And Out In Paris And London is well represented here, but there are some older tunes taken from the band’s back catalogue. And the second track, The Mind’s Eye, a rocky, ascerbic, keyboard-driven piece with some Francis Dunnery-esque guitar excursions gives us a sneak peak at a song from the upcoming album COMM. Said back catalogue is that rare beast – every single studio release, and there’s been 6 of them thus far, received a DPRP recommended rating.

The band has foregone the ‘traditional’ live DVD format (which we’ve seen already on Going Off On One) and filmed this one as an homage to the 1970s studio performances of TV shows like The Old Grey Whistle Test and Rockgarten. Here, they play a ‘gig’, or rather a live studio session, in their rehearsal room. No audience, no stage show, no banter, no pyrotechnics, no light show. It’s a natural, pretty much unedited/non-overdubbed show, with the mistakes left in. Everything you see on the screen was recorded at the moment you see it happen.

All the songs are recordings from one single ‘take’. Some songs (Paroxetine) were nailed on the first take, whilst Perdu Dans Paris took six before the band were happy with it.

The professional camera crew, and their six cameras get into every nook, and every cranny. So sit back, loosen your outer clothing a tad, relax and enjoy the sights, sounds and yes, the smells of a hard working progressive rock band…

The songs, with the exception of The Mind’s Eye, should be familiar to all discerning progressive rock aficionados and these live renditions are powerful, graceful and supremely well executed. The players, with the exception of Tillison of course, will be less well known. Young guitarist Luke Machin has quickly made this material his own, and is more than a match for The Tangent’s more illustrious Swedish alumni (as his solo on Perdu exemplifies). Whilst he’s got a fabulously fluid, unique style (he’s right handed but plays left handed because that’s how he practised in front of the telly) his playing will remind you of Brett Kull, Andy Latimer and Steve Rothery, and he does a mean Dunnery too – check out the Charlie ‘tapboard’ homage in the extras.

Fretless bass player Jonathan Barrett wrings every last ounce of emotion out of his instrument and gets a genuinely ‘phat’ sound that prog afficianados, and lovers of great bass playing everywhere will swoon over. The most amazing bass lines are pulled off with ease, with nary a hint of effort or exertion. He has been described, in fact, as looking like an accountant, but I think he’s got more of an ‘ooh, did I leave the gas on’ expression that belies the technical complexity of the stuff he’s playing. All I would say is check out his amazing FFFFFFFFFF solo. If you don’t set the optional trivia track, you won’t get that reference, mind. This is truly a first for a rock DVD and its importance should not be underestimated. It adds a completely different level of interest to the disc which is, even without the extras, one you’ll probably play at least once a month. Just for the music. Shame the band couldn’t have copyrighted the idea. Much like downloading (review trivia fact – Andy’s other band PO90 were the first band, ever, to offer a track for download to the masses).

When drummer Tony “Funkytoe” Latham played with the band at their October 2010 Luminaire gig, DPRP-er Jon Bradshaw described it as “genuinely one of the best drumming performances I’ve had the pleasure to witness”. It’s a great shame he’s no longer with the band, but Tangent fans have recently been getting to know new boy Nick Rickwood at live gigs, and Nick will hit the skins on COMM of course.

Original member Theo Travis, who hasn’t played at that many of The Tangent’s recent live outings, makes a welcome appearance here on saxophones and flute.

The discs showcase too, as you might have guessed, the marvellous keyboard playing of Andy Tillison, who’s in tremendous voice too, especially on the haunting, and lyrically resonant A Sale Of Two Souls.

This is truly progressive music, insofar as the band (or at least everyone except Jonathan Barrett, whose bass amp we learn has a ‘louder’ button) embraces cutting edge technology to bring the music to life, much as Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman did in the 1970s. Without the stabby knife thing or capes. For tech-heads, Andy Tillison gives a hugely insightful interview on his current keyboard rig in the entertaining extras section.

This is a live recording par excellence, by a band at the top of their game. If you hadn’t pre-ordered it, there’s no excuse now that it’s been released and I’d happily, and unconditionally recommend this to any fan of good progressive rock music. Yes, I’m a fan, and I bought two copies, so you could if you were being picky question my ‘objectivity’ but I defy you to listen, for example, to GPS Culture and not end up with a huge smile across your face. You might even tap your foot.

The Tangent are clearly having a great time with the material, and this package, with original artwork by Ed Unitsky no less, is an incredibly accurate, and honest portrayal of where they are now. It’s going to be so very exciting to see where they go from here…

The quartet that is Pure Reason Revolution has released here a DVD recorded in December 2010, which was recorded in front of 600 people, being simply called Live At Scala ~ 09.12.10. The initial release of this DVD was for the people in attendance, but now the band has sensibly seen fit to put it on general release.

The band have kept the formula quite simple, the sound quality is fantastic, as is the light show which really heightens the atmosphere of the music, especially when cranked right up. No expense has been spared on the picture quality either, which does feature multi-angle views without becoming over facing. The beauty of the whole package though is the warts and all approach that the band has taken, what you see is what you get, no frill and no spills, just a raw emotional and energised performance.

PRR have never been a band to recognise musical boundaries, always challenging, playing with sonics, creating interesting works. Here their music comes across as the darker brother to Pendulum, never dropping into the arena of real commerciality, industrial, experimental, prog, electronic, rock and pop all melded very effectively into one, which on paper shouldn’t work, but does, and very effectively too.

From the outset the band have execute a very proficient set, really manipulating their chosen instruments, displaying how the band means business, elevating their musical ethos to the audience, displaying their virtuosity on a perfect platform, which is aligned with some rather excellent vocal harmonisations throughout. The band work their way through the eleven songs with the highlights being, Blitzkrieg, Deus Ex Machina, Last Man Last Round, Fight Fire, Bullitts Bominae and The Bright Ambassadors Of Morning. Even Tom Bellamy’s participation on Fight Fire with his Jimmy Page guitar bowing technique brought a wry grin to my face as did the inclusion of a string section towards the end of the set, with the later really complimenting the music.

Interestingly enough, the usual approach for bands live, is to start off on a high, have a slight lull per se and then end on a high. Cleverly PRR haven’t conformed to this rule either, as the set just builds throughout, confidently growing and ending on a climatic high.

All in all this is another very good package from PRR, one that will have you repeatedly returning and reviewing.

CD 1 | 2012 Light Years From Home:New Sunrise (5:23), Set Me Free (3:20), Take My Heart 3:26), The Angle And Seven Trumpets (5:22), On The Way To The Stars (4:23), Till Another Side (5:06), Morning Light (4:38), Find Me Now (2:13), A Cry In The Infinity (4:24), To Kiss The Tears You Cry (5:49), Blue Angel (3:22), 2012 Light Years From Home (13:49)

Now all I am going to say at this moment in time is this. If you are going to put a Boxset together then this is how it should be done.

Brazilian melodic prog band Apocalypse has packaged this Boxset which is simply called The 25th Anniversary Boxset, which includes their new studio album 2012 Light Years From Home, Magic Spells recordings from the Magic Tour, The 25th Anniversary DVD which features a live concert and video footage. If that is not enough for you, they have also included a very detailed 128 page book to accompany the whole package and a poster.

So hands up truthfully, who knows this band? Well Apocalypse is a Brazilian prog rock band having released ten albums to date. The band consists of Eloy Fritsch (keyboards and bass), Fabio Schneider (drums), Gustavo Demarchi (vocals and flute), Ruy Fritsch (guitars). Magoo Wise (bass) and Chico Fasoli (drums) are the back line on the Magic Spells album.

The albums are full of melodic references that you can call on throughout, bands such as early Marillion, Yes, Genesis, Asia, ELP and Floyd but to name a few which has been finely balanced with some classic rock references such as Kansas, Uriah Heep, Jethro Tull, Rush, Zeppelin, Queen, Rainbow and Deep Purple. The point here though is to judge the albums on its own merits, something that the band has intelligently allowed the listener to be able to achieve.

Demarchi has an absolutely stunning vocal range, whether he is singing in the studio or live, losing none of his power. Eloy Fritsch has a sound very much in line with Keith Emerson which when it’s played in conjunction with Ruy Fritsch’s guitar passages it offers a marriage of absolute perfection. We are treated to the little technical flurries, intricate time changes and heart rendering emotional crescendos, intonations that are heavenly, scaling majestic heights that at times are unbelievable. Fabio Schneider maybe the new kid on the block making his debut with the band on this release but he perfectly punctuates this entire frame work almost effortlessly, his syncopation accentuating the music perfectly.

Can I pick a standout track on either album? Well to be perfectly honest, the answer to that is an emphatic no. I can honestly say that any track I choose to play is as good as any other presented, they all have their own uniqueness and versatility, dynamically leading you on a journey, where you can quite easily loose yourself, which is an achievement in itself as some of the songs range from just over three minutes to just under fourteen minutes, which only confirms and reinforces the quality of what is on offer here. The Apocalypse boys have wisely chosen to work the path of the strong, not entertaining any weakness, if there ever was any in the first place.

I would say that musically what is on offer on Magic Spells is slightly heavier than on 2012 Light Years From Home, with it being live and it was also the period in their career when they decided to start singing exclusively in English. In comparing the two it is interesting to see the growth and maturation of the band, attainment of emotional and intellectual maturity by the time 2012 Light Years From Home was recorded.

The included DVD confirms with clarity what Apocalypse are all about; the band choosing to play songs from their back catalogue, enabling you to hear the progression of the band and also enabling you to watch their dexterity as they coalesce on stage, with all the songs being firm favourites with the audience. The later two sessions Bridge Of Light featuring Ocean Soul and Last Paradise and Apocalypse Live In RIO’s featuring Waterfall Of Golden Wonders sees the band really ignited and in the groove. As ever the picture quality is good, featuring multi camera angles and the whole soundstage is impeccable.

Their 2003 Refugio album may have received a respectable 6 out of 10, but based on the balance of what I have experienced here, a package that is full of stunning musical interludes, to die for melodies, precise production work and fantastic packaging I can only better that. This is a band that has really done it for me, having touched every point on the A to Z scale that needs to be touched when constructing melodic prog. This really is a definitely must own package and thankfully I had the fortuitous luck of getting my hands on a copy.

The 25th Anniversary Boxset may have been the most daring project of the bands career, but on balance it was a wise step for them to make.

If you haven’t heard of King’s X, then you have not heard how their music can change a lifetime, or how the intensity of their studio recordings are brought to life at concerts. I heard about King’s X, for the first time I guess, some 20 years ago now and I can recall this as if it were yesterday. My brother came to visit me for my birthday and brought me Ear Candy, the CD that was just released at the time and told me "you will like this I am sure". Back then I was very much into the heavier music and I remember telling him I had never heard of King’s X. But he assured me and "oh yes you have remember us talking about Trio’s in music", and how this very often is based around keyboards or guitar bass and drums. Well King's X is a little different - the normal line-up does not use keyboards as the trio use guitar, bass and drums. Still didn’t ring a bell.

Why do I tell you all this? Because from back then I have become a fan of the King's X as I like to call them. Dougie Pinnick with his formidable bass playing, Ty Tabor the inevitable string-master and to complete the show Jerry Gaskil on drums. These boys have changed the way I saw music. Now they do not perform with a lot of show elements, mainly they stand on the stage and do their thing but at the same time they make high intensity music, combining progressive, with funky style elements. Watching the DVD made me want to go to a show again to experience the atmosphere and sheer joy of playing jumps from the screen.

King's X are a band that live by the motto "Do what you do and do it good", without the extra’s the audience wants good music that is what we bring and that is why the DVD resembles a King's X show very well. The set list is a good one with songs from throughout their career with excellent choices and a good capture of a show.

Tracklist:Early In The Morning / Sunshine Of Your Love (21:56), 12 Gates Of The City (6:40), What A Day (6:03), Joking (2:05), Sunshine Of Your Love (3:55), Tell Me A Story (9:08)

This is a rather interesting item; Ginger Baker’s AirforceLive 1970 which was recorded way back when, for a German TV show which was originally transmitted on the 20th October 1970, seeing the band playing out six tunes. As a band they only release two albums both in 1970, Ginger Baker’s Airforce and Ginger Baker’s Airforce 2. The line up for these shows, which were one of the last shows the band played in Germany before their split, consisted of Graham Bond (vocals, Hammond, saxophones), Ken Craddok (organ, guitar, vocal), Steve Gregory (tenor sax, flute), Bud Beadle (saxophones), Colin Gibson (bass), Aliki Ashman (vocals), Diane Stewart (vocals), Speedy Acquaye (congas) and Ginger Baker (drums).

The recording is very much of its time, which I suppose back then would have been seen as state of the art, cutting edge almost. In places the video editing reminded me of Robert Crumbs work, especially the opening shots, which are almost surreal. In saying that, it just seems to work so many levels offering dynamics and character.

The show was heavily edited when it was first shown on German TV, but now it is back in its full glory, which can at times make the whole continuity look odd, one minute Aliki Ashman has a long skirt on, then she doesn’t, then she does? It also appears that during the second version of Sunshine Of Your Love has just been lifted straight form the Early In The Morning / Sunshine Of Your Love opening extended jam version, which I am sure is not the case and just goes to prove how good this band really was, but that is only a small criticism of what is presented here.

There’s no denying that this is not perceived in some circles as some of his best work, especially when you are placing it next to other projects that he has been involved with such as the two highly regarded and influential bands Cream and Blind Faith. GBA had a more afro jazz fusion sound which worked very well, something that is highlighted by this performance. The band interact well as a unit who seem to be enjoying the whole occasion; at times though, when they are being directed by the TV crew, they look somewhat bemused and perplex, due to the language barriers.

This whole release though really is a percussionist’s wet dream; the whole affair is drum heavy with some outstanding conga work by Speedy Acquaye, a sight to behold, as is Ginger, just watching these two guys is worth the price alone. The rest of the band play their part, confirming their ability adding some depth to the set. Aliki Ashman and Diane Stewart’s vocals are punchy and dynamic, if a bit shouty at times, but watching the band as a whole you can see why Ginger Bakers Airforce were a live band to be reckoned with. Ginger Baker is a highly regarded and influential drummer and this is a rarely seen performance that had remained in the vaults for years, that has finally seen the light.

Another nice release here from the Ginger Baker back catalogue. This time Gonzo Multimedia has given us Baker Gurvitz ArmyLive 1975. The band comprised of the Gurvitz brothers, Adrian, (guitar) and Paul (bass), who originally played with The Gun of Race With The Devil fame, keyboardist Peter Lemer (who left after their second album Elysian Encounter), who’d been in Barbara Thompson’s bands Paraphernalia and Seventh Wave, vocalist Steve Parsons and the man who needs no introduction Ginger Baker.

On realisation of this band, Baker and the boys must have thought they had fallen on their feet, with Ginger having dallied with Salt and Ginger Baker's Airforce prior, but now playing more mainstream rock than the experimental and eclectic music he had explored prior. The band recorded three studio and one live album, but alas it wasn’t to be, as ever the band split after their third studio album Hearts Of Fire.

This DVD again is lifted from a German TV broadcast, which on the quite is a nation that seems to have an endless supply of live recorded shows for release. Anyway I digress, as this particular show was recorded after the release of Elysian Encounter album, with the setlist comprised of songs from their first two albums.

The video transfer to DVD has obviously lost some of the clarity, but that’s probably due to comparing quality and technology of yesteryear against today’s technology. We are though, graced with a stereo soundtrack as was Ginger Baker's Airforce Live 1970 DVD, but unfortunately again there are no extras offered. That expectant state of the art layering of video pictures is in abundance throughout, you wouldn’t expect anything less really, along with Adrian’s spangly guitar and the dress sense... very zeitgeist.

We are offered good interpretations of the songs, with the likes of the instrumental Love Is, The Gambler, Remember, Memory Lane and People [Like You And Me], being the stand out tracks.

As I said this is a warts and all release with false starts etc included, being a historic look at a band that could have been bigger, making it another worthwhile addition to your collection allowing you to recount some fond memories of all good things past, putting a smile on your face at the same time. Now that can’t be bad can it?